Apocalypse Now?

The terrorist's power is psychological. What will happen to the Western world when its bubble of security and control is pricked?

See now, that I, I am He -- and no god is with Me. I put to death and bring life, I struck down and I will heal, and there is no rescuer from My hand. (Deut. 32:39)

The above verse is from Moses' poetic eulogy of human history. The message this verse conveys is that human history cannot culminate until humanity acknowledges that God has exclusive control over life and death, over sickness and health.

On the surface it would therefore appear that this culmination is steadily receding. With each passing day, humanity gains increasing control over the processes of life and death, sickness and health -- through the steady advance of scientific knowledge and medicine.

But appearances can be deceiving.

Last week the world took a giant step toward attaining this clarity. To fully appreciate the impact of these terrible events, we must understand the profound importance that modern society places on the feeling of being "in control," and how this feeling influences our attitude towards God.

SOCIOLOGICAL VIEW

In the conception of sociologists, human religious feeling is inversely proportional to our sense of control. Thus primitive man was intensely religious because he understood very little about the workings of the universe, and consequently had zero control over natural processes. He didn't know how or why people were born or died, why the seasons changed, or why people got sick or how to cure them.

It is difficult for humans to live with mysteries because facing the unknown puts one into a state of anxiety. We can only plan for the future and invest today in a better tomorrow if we are confident that the world will exist tomorrow. But if we control nothing in our world, then we have nothing on which to base this confidence.

Consequently, according to the sociologists, human beings invented God.

The God-hypothesis was the perfect answer to our primitive anxieties. We invented a man-like God Who created the world and controls it. We understand His motives to be very like our motives, and consequently, because He is predictable and He is in control, we are able to face the future with a sense of security.

Of course, He invariably has some demands, but meeting God's demands is a small price to pay for the security of a predictable future. While God is only predictable in a very broad sense (since you can never say for certain what God will do in each individual case), nevertheless inventing God was the best method primitive man had for staving off anxieties. And on the whole, it worked.

In the last 5,000 years, we have come an enormous way from primitive man. We have unraveled the mysteries of the physical world, and are well on our way to unraveling the complexities of the human character as well. We have even managed to get a grip on the world economy through the developments of post Keynesian economics. We are in control of our futures. We no longer need the God-hypothesis to feel secure.

Consequently, Western society has abandoned the hypothesis and turned sweepingly secular.

It's not a matter of whether modern man believes in God or not. The issue doesn't even arise today; the possibility of the existence of Divine control has become irrelevant.

DEMOCRATIC VIEW

There is another non-religious dimension to this notion of control as well. Our Western society is liberal, tolerant, democratic. We look with a favorable eye to our neighbors; we are genuinely dedicated to helping everyone attain a share of the good life.

The bedrock of Western democracy is based on the assumption that it is within our power to keep our economies ever expanding.

This attitude, the bedrock of Western democracy, is based on the assumption that it is within our power to keep our economies ever expanding, so that the social pie will continue to grow endlessly. Since more and more will always be available, we can generously include ever-increasing numbers of people within the "American dream."

But what if our confidence in this bubble of optimism were pricked, and the Western world would be filled with anxiety and uncertainty about the future?

To the degree that the average person would grow concerned about the welfare and security of his immediate family, his generosity toward others would fade. A feeling of "either you or I" would prevail, resulting in policies of exclusion. This would destroy the fabric of the social contract that underlies our liberal Western system.

Thus, being in control not only determines how we feel about God, it is also the life blood of the modern world we have constructed.

ENEMIES OF SOCIETY

Now let us study the enemies of society, the radical fundamentalist Moslems who are responsible for terrorism. What is their interest? Do they merely desire destruction for its own sake?

As long as these terrorist activities were directed mainly against Israel, much of the liberal intelligentsia of the Western world managed to persuade themselves that this terrorism had a rational basis. For a deprived people lacking military resources, their only chance was to demoralize their more powerful enemy through savage acts of terror that would rob that enemy of his sense of security. The effects of terrorist acts might be unpleasantly gory, but from a distance the intelligentsia found a way to justify the terrorist.

This theory was upended with the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Thousands of innocent lives were wiped out for no apparent positive purpose. The United States was not at war with any of the countries or peoples responsible, who had no apparent strategic gain from planting the seeds of fear and terror in the streets of America. So why did they do it?

The uninterrupted success of the Western world is an existential threat to the continued existence of radical Islamic fundamentalist societies.

The answer is that the terrorists also subscribe to the sociologist theory of religion.

The uninterrupted success of the Western world, especially now that it has emerged triumphant over Communism, is an existential threat to the continued existence of Islamic fundamentalist primitive societies.

In the information age, it is quite impossible to isolate pockets of the world from the main body of humanity. If the development of the Western world and the spread of its ideology continued unabated, it would not take long for the repressed populations of these fundamentalist societies to catch on to the fact that a better future was around the corner for anyone willing to master the tools to control his world. Such a conclusion is the death knell of the fundamentalist regime.

How can fundamentalists protect themselves? By exposing the weakness of Western society. This weakness, as is often the case, is the opposite side of the coin of its strength -- its lack of belief in anything other than its own ability to control the world. The minute that anxiety spreads and the sense of control weakens, Western society begins to totter.

POWER OF A TERRORIST

Without control, you need something to believe in, and Western man as a social being is faithless.

Terrorism is not inherently threatening. Even if the power of the terrorist -- always at its highest when he is totally unexpected (as in this instance) -- would continue to be applied full force, he could not seriously threaten the national survival of a powerful modern nation.

But he doesn't need to.

The power of the terrorist is psychological. He destroys the feeling of control and induces a feeling of anxiety. For people who are entirely dependent on the bubble of confidence, losing the sense of being in control is a very real danger.

TROUBLES IN ISRAEL

The troubles in Israel broke out immediately prior to Rosh Hashana one year ago. In retrospect they were a signal that one aspect of the Zionist dream was being brought to an end.

The philosophy of "never again" (referring to the Holocaust) which drove modern Jews to found the State of Israel where they could control their own fate with technological superiority and military might, was demonstrated to be an empty bubble by events of the past year. Their unquestioned technological superiority was impotent in the face of the terrorist who was willing and ready to sacrifice his life to destroy.

After one year, tourism is non-existent, foreign investment in Israeli high tech has shriveled up, and the country faces an uncertain future. It's not that the death toll was especially high -- many more Israelis perished in road accidents during the year. And it's not that there was much damage -- nothing remotely close to the collapse of the Twin Towers happened in Israel. Yet is was the simple loss of confidence that has brought a mighty, technologically advanced country to a state of anxiety.

For the Jewish people, the face of the world permanently changed in the space of one short year.

For the Jewish people, the face of the world permanently changed in the space of one short year. There may still be a lot of travail before the message penetrates, but the pattern is already set -- crystal clear to those willing to look with an open mind.

The fact that God sent another powerful signal immediately prior to this Rosh Hashana, this time to the Western world, is frightening to say the least.

American reaction has so far followed the Israeli reaction almost to the letter. Buoyed by a resurgent tide of patriotism, president Bush is getting set to take care of the problem of terrorism with American might and know how. His message is clear: "We can handle this."

But the citizen of Israel, watching from the sidelines, cannot help but tremble.

BRUTE FORCE

Successful societies always require a unifying idea, one that citizens can believe in. Keeping people in line by brute force does not work over time. As the breakup of the Soviet Union testifies, chaos results when the brute force runs out of steam.

The Torah teaches that there are four secular unifying ideas, each representing one of the "four kingdoms." As follows:

The power of "civilization" was embodied in the Babylonian Empire. This early civilization swept the ancient world and provided the first successful alternative to a God-centered society, as symbolized by the destruction of the first Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

The next unifying idea to come along was the power of "wealth." Properly organized, a steadily expanding economy can provide an ideological base without the need for conquest. This idea was symbolized by Achashverosh's empire in Persia, which spanned a federation of 127 countries.

The ancient Greek empire stood for the power of "science and culture." Incorporating its predecessors' experience, it swept the world like wildfire during the short life of Alexander the Great.

The fourth and final kingdom represents the power of all these ideas combined. It is a world that believes in the power of a market-driven economy and expanding frontiers of knowledge and technology to eventually deliver Utopia. This is the modern Western world, founded on the remnants of the Roman Empire which destroyed the Second Temple.

According to Jewish tradition, when this ideology falters, the world will return to the knowledge of God, as expressed in the verse quoted in the beginning of this essay. When God begins picking apart this final idea, it is a sign that the end is near. When it breaks down, there is nothing beyond but chaos.

THE POWER OF IDEAS

Ideas are spiritual things. They cannot be destroyed by physical force. An idea must be logically refuted. It must collapse from within. The loss of confidence that results from impotence in the face of terror is such a refutation.

As anxious people withdraw their money from investment in equities, and are frightened into increasing their savings and putting off consumption, companies begin to shrink and contract. The result is deflation and depression. People begin to lose their jobs and then their homes when the ability to pay the mortgage is lost. Without the prospect of a better future, the political structure on which our society is based can collapse. Beyond this collapse is only chaos and void.

If God should allow the terrorists to succeed just a few more times on a mass scale, the world as we know it could crumble.

Will this happen tomorrow? No. Deeply held beliefs take time to disintegrate. People cling stubbornly to the worldview that sustains them.

But the pattern is clear. If God should allow the terrorists to succeed just a few more times on a mass scale, the world as we know it could crumble.

The most frightening aspect of current events is that God Himself seems to have become a sociologist. He seems to be saying: "Very well, you people have dismissed Me as a useless hypothesis because you feel that you can control your world. Let's see if you are right. Perhaps, despite all your vaunted science and technology, a few maddened zealots can put you into such a state of anxiety that you find yourself on the edge of the void after a single bloody day."

President Bush just signed a bill to bail out American airline companies to the tune of 5 billion dollars. Stock markets are down by 10 percent worldwide. People are not flying or traveling unless absolutely necessary. In a single day, Western man has lost much of his freedom and plenty.

If this keeps up, then by the sociologists own theory, an anxious populace will return once again to the God hypothesis to allay its anxieties -- and we will have come full circle back to primitive man.

But it needn't be this way. God really isn't a sociologist. He would much prefer that we hand Him back the world out of our own free will. He loves each of His creations with a love far greater than any parent loves even his own child. All these events are solely for the purpose of bringing us in line with reality.

There needn't be any more terror, any more bloodshed, any more shattered families and orphans. All we have to do is turn to Him and say, "Dear God, we understand your warning. We are not as much in control as we thought. At this point we freely hand you back the management of the world and we stand ready to follow Your instructions. There is no need to show us more -- we get the message. Please spare us the rest."

For I shall raise My hand to heaven and say, "As I live forever, if I sharpen My flashing sword and My hand grasps judgment, I shall return vengeance upon My enemies and upon those that hate Me shall I bring retribution. I shall intoxicate My arrows with blood and My sword shall devour flesh, because of the blood of corpse and captive, because of the earliest depredations of the enemy."

O nations -- sing the praises of His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants; He will bring retribution upon His foes, and He will appease His land and His people. (Deut. 32:40-43)

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

While studying at the famed yeshivas of Chaim Berlin, Lakewood and the Mir in Jerusalem, Rabbi Noson Weisz also received a degree in Microbiology from the University of Toronto, MA in Political Science at the New School for Social Research and his LLB from the University of Toronto. Rabbi Weisz is currently a senior lecturer at Yeshiva Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

Visitor Comments: 22

(22)
Kathy Carney,
October 12, 2001 12:00 AM

A real eye-opener and heart-changer!

I am an American and can benefit from
this article. The four kingdoms is clearly seen throughout history and today. It brings my heart great sorrow because I can see personally how I have wanted control over my own life; crowding God out. Most of all this article has brought to repentance. I will be one of those readers who will be praying this prayer...Kathy Carney

(21)
Anonymous,
October 11, 2001 12:00 AM

Apocalypse Now . . .

For months before the Twin Towers' collapse, I felt an uneasy realization tugging at my brain . . ."how long can we go on like this?" (population, rush hour traffic, people getting greedier, and greedier, road rage, no patience for neighbors, no patience for service industry people, prices getting higher and higher, etc.) "Something has to give" and to my horror, it did. I definately agree with the issues present in this article. Thank you!

(20)
Anonymous,
October 11, 2001 12:00 AM

Democracy without religion does not work.

Excellent article. Unfortunately, not all of American culture is for the good, and some of it is being exported via satellite TV, movies, etc. into conservative Moslem countries. They just told us what they think of it. One difference between them and us is that when we see aspects of the popular culture we disagree with, we peacefully protest with letters, voting for candidates who agree with us, etc. Some radical Islamics fly planes into buildings. To receive G-d's protection, we all need to pray, and work harder to make America a more moral nation. I feel encouraged that many Americans of different backgrounds and religion are aware of this website, and have read this article. Yasher koach, Rabbi. May you go from strength to strength.

(19)
Denise Rootenberg,
October 10, 2001 12:00 AM

Great explanation of spiritual/material aspects of WTC

This is a fantastic expose and explanation for the insecurity we are feeling. It highlights the materialism in Western society without cheapening the loss of life in this tragedy. I have passed it on to Jews and Christians alike to much favourable reaction. It is both reassuring and disquieting!

(18)
Anonymous,
October 9, 2001 12:00 AM

in the light of day - u.s.

As a Christian I enjoy veiwing the Wall regularly for I know we pray to the same God. Our views may be different in the end but we read the same scriptures. Your veiw of the USA in apocolypse now is interesting and in some cases true. Our country has turned its back on God. We have taken God out of our government and schools and it has hurt us tremendously. The people of the U.S. after this attack have been strong, but I fear, for our patriotism has taken the place of our worship. Praying and worshiping God is what we should be doing, not waving our flags. Thank you for your insight and God bless.

(17)
Anonymous,
October 8, 2001 12:00 AM

How aware do we have to be?

It's so hard! Those of us (most Americans, I believe) who consciously acknowledge that everything is from g-d, still have a hard time keeping that idea alive in every aspect of our lives. We live in a world governed by cause and effect, and have a hard time seeing beyond that even though we DO believe that ultimately it is not we who are in control. What level of cognizance is required to prevent the world from falling apart at the seams?

(16)
Joshua Buckner,
October 8, 2001 12:00 AM

Thank you

I just wanted to thank the Rabbi for exposing this Universal truth. This is an article I think everyone should read. I will certainly pass it along.

(15)
JOAN FELDMAN,
October 8, 2001 12:00 AM

EXCELLENT INSIGHT OFFERED IN VERY SIMPLIFIED FORM

From what I can read, the Fundamentalist Islamist would definitely agree with the ideas presented here. They just call their
'road' Islamic and we call it 'Jewish'.

(14)
Adam Langer,
October 7, 2001 12:00 AM

Sharp, penetrating analysis

Splendid article. It left me wondering, though, what the role of Am Yisrael is in all this. The article seemed to imply that the whole world needs to turn to G-d, but then brought a pasuk from Devarim (Deut.) in which Moshe discusses Hashem avenging His people - the Jews, which will come only once all the Jews of the world begin believing in Him, not the entire global population. (If indeed the whole world would turn to Him, then who would be our enemies?) What roles do each of the parties involved play, or should they be playing, or will they be playing?

(13)
Deanne Johnson,
October 7, 2001 12:00 AM

I think you based your article on the minority in the United States.

I live in Alabama, United States. I am deeply saddened by some of our liberal leaders in the past, and the liberal big cities where if it feels good do it. But don't measure my country, founded upon God, by my big brothers, the big cities. The majority of people in the United States are God-fearing and God-loving people. I live in what is called the "Bible Belt", the heart of the south. Me and my family serve the Lord. I am a Southern Baptist who is extremely upset at the direction a lot of people in my country are going. But don't measure the United States by the minority of people. I agree that a lot of people in our big cities are money-minded, egotistical people. But that is the minority, not the majority. I fully believe our Country is blessed by God. I realize a lot of people have turned their backs on God and started worshipping other things, not unlike God's own people. But their are still people everywhere in the United States, including our President, who are committed to doing what God would have us to do. I pray for my country daily, that it will again turn to God, our Creator, our rock in sinking sand.

(12)
sharon kende,
October 7, 2001 12:00 AM

management of the world means being in a partnership

I read some of the comments of others and was shocked to see that they thought of the "management of the world by hashem" as a one way issue. I understood this management to mean that we follow torah and hashem will spread his shelter of peace over us.
Is this not what was meant by management? I truly see it as a partnership and not a dictatorship as some commentors have made it out to be.

(11)
akiva wagschal,
October 6, 2001 12:00 AM

Must we relinquish world management to God?

At the end of a brilliant and eloquent analysis, the auther concludes with suggesting a seemingly trite prayer, "Dear God .... At this point we freely hand you back the management of the world and we stand ready to follow Your instructions."
I don't know if that simple prayer is theologically sound.
I was raised to believe that God gave the responsibily of managing the world to humankind. It is not an option to relinquish this responsibility.
Though we are admonished to avoid the false belief that our efforts in managing the societies that we live in, will solely accomplish success, au conraire, the success of our endeavors is solely the result of God's assistance and grace, never the less, we remain responsible to make the effort to manage our societies, albeit in a manner that adheres to principles built onto the basic golden rule, i.e. Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.
The assurance of safety and security, that we may reasonably expect is, that when our efforts at conducting our personal lives and the efforts that our goverments engage in doing their responsibilities, are combined with an honest understanding and a daily verbal acknowledgement that they require God's grace, we will ultimately achieve success.
The ultimate success of humankind, is when all members of all the various societies are engaged in managing the world with the knowledge and understanding that their efforts are blessed with God's help.
V'yaydu ki ato shimcha Hashem elyon al kol Ha'aretz

(10)
alex pister,
October 5, 2001 12:00 AM

excellent deep analysis

really enjoyed your excellent analysis. i must disagree with your statement: "The United States was not at war with any of the countries or peoples responsible, who had no apparent strategic gain from planting the seeds of fear and terror in the streets of America. So why did they do it?". muslims are deeply desirous of removing american support for the jewish people. it is not just "terrorist islamic fundamentalists" who feel this way. the koran teaches hatred of jews. hence of the 1.2 billion muslems in the world today one will see very few [read no] public muslim protests with placards against terrorism and against jew hatred. it is'nt that islam is a "peace loving philosophy misrepresented by extremists" as the ex-american Cat Stevens and countless muslim clerics and faithful would have us believe. it is that islam teaches hatred of jews due to their lack of acceptance of islam and its teachings. [in reality there is even a deeper reason for all jew hatred-it really has nothing to do with "religious" muslims wanting to bring into the world an awareness of the omnipotence of the Al-mighty. take a look at all the "secular" [whatever that means] muslim states that desire to exterminate the jewish people. in other words if we take away the "religious" disagreements between between jews and muslims there should be no conflict based on who is right or wrong in there "approach" to the Al-Mighty. "Secular" muslim states like Iraq put the lie to this notion. to the extent that practicing muslims can encourage the world and especially the americans to hate and desire the murder of jews both in israel and elsewhere they will view attacks on western countries as appropriate acts of war. this is simply attacking their enemies "friend" to change the "friend" into thier enemies "enemy".

alex pister thornhill canada

(9)
Aaron Kaplan,
October 5, 2001 12:00 AM

offended

I find any suggestion that God allowed this terror to happen to send a certain message or teach a lesson to humanity is very offensive. God does NOT do these things. People, humanity are the cause. The fireman, police officers, military personel, civilian heros etc. resemble God. The people responsible are those who are conditioned to hate throught the society that raised them. Or they hold a very deep seated anger at the United States over policy and feel so insecure about their own lives that they have to committ such cowardly acts. The God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is a God of love, not vengence. God allows us to be our own people. Humanity and humanity only are responsible for events that happen on earth. Not God. It is a terrible shame that we haven't come to the realization that we have the capacity within ourselves to bring about everything we hope for in the world.

(8)
,
October 4, 2001 12:00 AM

Is it too late?

What a great, thought provoking article!

Is it too late to turn toward God out of one's free will now when our anxiety is at a high enough level to complete the sociological "circle" described above? And is the anxiety argument good enough for the creator to accept it as our worthy reason for believing? How would the 30 year bond (i.e. economy) be affected if everyone would realize that the humanity has only 238 years left or more generally, that we do not have control over our future? Would it crumble just the same?

(7)
David,
October 3, 2001 12:00 AM

The Rabbi is a Mind Reader

Rabbi Weisz is without a doubt more educated than myself but his worldview only differs from Islamic fundamentalism in that it doesn't lead him to acts of terror. Exactly how are we supposed to follow the Rabbi’s recommendation to hand over management of the world to HaShem? Maybe the Rabbi had in mind for us to hand over management to our religious leaders who will use their special ability to read the mind of HaShem as the Rabbi has done throughout this article.

(6)
Neal Cobb,
October 3, 2001 12:00 AM

How great thou art!

From the US ...Thank you for your publishings,theyre good brainfood! I pray, "G-d look favorably upon my country! ,in these days ahead and bring calm and comfort to those who agonize...let them know the comfort of your shielding arms ,give us strength of character and a good dose of wisdom!...Amen"

(5)
Anonymous,
October 2, 2001 12:00 AM

Piercing and illuminating perspective of G-d's purposes

It is a wonderful gift to be able to present the long-long-long view in a time when almost all are panicking and living moment by moment in growing dysfunction and disorientation. Thank you, Rabbi Noson

(4)
Anonymous,
October 1, 2001 12:00 AM

Brilliant

Wisdom and Knowledge is truely your best friend. Thank you Rabbi Noson Weisz for sharing your Torah wisdom. I feal much closer to G-D after reading articles like these. Tizkeh Lmitsvot !

(3)
Anonymous,
September 30, 2001 12:00 AM

Interesting but....

I did not find this article "reassuring" nor comforting", and judging from the title, these expressions were obviously not the author's intent. Nonetheless, the author's comments and interpretations were thought provoking and largely speaking, scary. Though Jews will turn to G-d to tell HIM that "...we understand your warning...", the rest of the worlds populace will not. What can this then mean?

(2)
Anonymous,
September 30, 2001 12:00 AM

Brilliant

Truly a brilliant article...kudos to R' Weisz, who tells it like it is and offers a remarkable analysis of our times. After reading this one can truly understand what it is to be an Or LaGoyim (Light to the Nations)--it is to remain faithful to the Idea of One God and One Torah amid a world of self-absorption and egocentricism.

(1)
Anonymous,
September 30, 2001 12:00 AM

Thanks

I'm in the US military living in Indonesia. Thanks for this piece, I found it very comforting as I seek understanding of these tragic events.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
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